FAQ’s on the Attacks
FAQ’s on Rebecca Dow and Republican Party Attack Ads
Recent mailers and text messages sent by Republican Rebbeca Dow and the New Mexico Republican Party against State Representative Tara Jaramillo are flat out wrong.
Lie #1: Transgender minors
Rebecca Dow has been publicly accusing Tara of “support[ing] transgender treatment for minors without parental knowledge or consent.”
It’s not true.
Unfortunately, Rebecca Dow is using young and vulnerable kids to stoke fear and misinform the public, for her political benefit. It’s shameful.
Tara believes we must protect all children. Studies show that support from parents and adults in affirming a young person or students’ gender is critical and saves lives during a time when so many young people are attempting suicide.
Simply put, Tara trusts doctors to abide by the required standards of care, and young people, with their families, to make the best decisions for themselves—without government interference.
Here’s a fact check on the legislation cited in the mailers and texts:
House Bill 7 reinforces that local governments (counties, cities, or school boards) cannot interfere with abortion and specific gender-affirming healthcare decisions—and those decisions must be left up to individuals, families and medical providers.
House Bill 7 does not remove parental consent for children seeking gender-affirming care. In fact, according to a non-partisan news analysis of the bill, the bill doesn’t even mention the word “parent” once.
Lie #2: “Tara doesn’t take violence and drugs in our community seriously. She refused to take any action on crime and voted against funding security at the border.”
Representative Tara Jaramillo has taken many actions to support public safety in New Mexico and District 38 specifically.
Because protecting our community is Representative Tara Jaramillo’s first priority ,as a legislator and member of the House Appropriations & Finance Committee, she voted to invest $32.5 million to recruit and retain local law enforcement officers and public attorneys, including targeted measures to combat violent crime, and cracking down on organized retail crime.
Just this year, in the Legislature, Tara invested more than $100 million to hire police officers and sheriff's deputies statewide funding. That funding goes towards:
Ensuring our law enforcement officers and criminal justice system have the resources needed to protect our communities.
Improving the pre-trial monitoring of repeat felony offenders and increased penalties for second-degree murder and attempted murder
Bolstering the public safety workforce by allowing retirees to return to work in high-demand positions to do so without losing their benefits.
In short, Tara Jaramillo has a proven record of supporting law enforcement with her votes in the Legislature. Meanwhile, Rebecca Dow missed dozens and dozens of votes when she was a legislator — because she’d rather play politics than support the people she serves.